DIEP 2013

Liefie, my steri strips were on for a little over 3 weeks! My DH said he has never seen them last that long!

Ok, so this morning I got on the scale and I weight 4 more pounds than I did yesterday. And no, my scale is not broken. DH already confirmed so. Back to jogging tonight and more elliptical, even though I'm just so tired!

And today for the first time since surgery, which was April 23rd I'm not wearing a bra!! This is huge!! Because if my blisters I had to wear a bra 24/7 to hold the gauge in place. Well, I bought some band aids today that go right over it to hold them in place and I feel free!! I told my DH about it and he looked at me like I was from another planet. Then I realized he's a man and doesn't understand.

I was not allowed to take a shower while I had drains. So first wash at home DH put a big bowl of warm water on the bench in the shower, I held a small towel over the drains and bandages, and he helped me get clean. He also helped me to wash my (very short) hair in the sink - it all felt just heavenly after 3 days of 'spot cleaning' in hospital. Next few days I managed by myself somehow; he just put the heavy bowl of water in the shower for me. Took my first shower 8 days after surgery when drains were finally out - sheer bliss! I used alcohol swabs to clean navel area as well as sites where drains were removed, and put polysporin 2 x per day into navel using an earbud as nurses showed me to do. Still using polysporin once a day for navel after shower, because it is not 100% healed yet.

Hey, on the subject of to shower, or not to shower with drains.  My GS said no showers, my PS said, "Of course, shower!"  I really think it's how old school they are.  The kit I got to hold my drains even came with a special drain holder for when you take a shower. 

Now, when my incision opened, and I had to wait to go back into surgery to reclose it, then there was no shower's allowed, which made sense.  That was the worst time.  Dirty hair it the worst, and my bff took me to a salon and they washed my hair for nothing.  I guess salons are use to women having surgeries and needing their hair washed. Personally, I think all salons who want to show their support for Breast Cancer need to put a Pink Ribbon in their window with the offer of a hair wash after surgery. 

Good luck to all the girls going in this week, you will all do great... look forward to hearing from you on the other side 😊

Janet...too funny...COFFEE??? Odd how you would pick up on that 

It is just mind blowing how there is so much variety in every little detail of these surgery protocols, yet, like Liefie said, we all seem to be doing basically the same re: final results!!! Just goes to show, there's always room for another point of view!

Liefie...those are some stubborn steristrips....cause you're showering now, aren't you???? Some of mine were starting to lift off before I left the hospital, and when I saw my PS to get my last drain pulled (at 10 days post op) he took them all off! He said they had done their job, and there were no benefits to keeping them on longer!!! I never had any bandages, anywhere, except for gauze sutured around around the drain sites. I could shower at home with the drain still in, but had to cover the "exit" site with saran wrap taped over it. 

Sorry to hear you're back is bothering you, but I think the energy thing is pretty much the norm. I didn't build up my energy levels until I started to increase my activity, but still really needed naps at your stage to balance things out. With your wildlife issues, I think mall walking or gym walking would be a great idea! You need to slowly build up your distances to build your endurance back up to normal. Focus on that posture girl and get that back sorted out!!!!

Please send the float plane to pick up us soggy Albertans if the rain doesn't stop soon!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Flappers........I AM alive, and left Japan Sunday (after my arrest for causing a disturbance at Jozankai Onsen last Thursday......bail was tricky). ;P





Actually, have not had access to a computer, and arrived home this morning after leaving Sapporo the same morning 24 hours earlier.....jet lag is a b**ch!



Visit to Onsen was AMAZING.......was very worried about reactions, but the women could NOT have been more gracious and accommodating.....custom demands that you leave your clothing in baskets and traverse to the hot spring pools sans clothing (you can take a small hand towel with you). As I made my way to the shower room (have to clean yourself before immersing in the water) one woman jumped out of the inside pool and ran ahead of us to get me a higher stool to sit on, in case I could not manage the tiny stool usually used. She replaced the usual one, and motioned me to sit. By hand and body motions she acknowledged what I had been through. My DD thanked her in Japanese, and then she spoke to DD telling her her sister had died of BC. Once in the inside pool, other women gravitated over, and did the Japanese head bob thingy, and told DD they admired and respected me!!!!! Blown away by it all! Honestly was not prepared for that response......



Have spent the better part of 2 1/2 hours catching up on posts.....wow! It's been crazy busy on here! Didn't want to take away from the purpose of this thread, but I will say I had a wonderful time in Japan, and the food was incredible........I will never be able to eat sushi and sashimi over here, again.......



Going to TRY to get back on schedule, so will post tomorrow, maybe.......glad to know things are sailing along (mostly ).





((((Hugs)))) to all .......



Namaste and God bless - Jackie

Movie, what a beautiful, uplifting experience for you! What those Japanese women did is amazing - it also moved me to tears. Bc is indeed a universal 'language', and what a wonderful memory for you! Have a good sleep, dear Movie!

Thanks for the scar info. I already have a large scar on my R side from a spinal surgery (accident) in '85, so when I thought about the long scar the DIEP will leave in the abdominal area, I will almost have one continuous scar from my upper back, around my side, and across the abdomen. I realize the chest area will have its smaller scars too. I've never worn a 2-pc. so I'll just get used to reality. Maybe I can come up with some Samauri sword jokes too. Scars will be a small price for being alive and well.

I was able to shower on days 4 and 5 while still in the hospital and every day at home since! I had little tegaderm (think clear, sticky on one side, thin Saran wrap) squares over my drain exit wounds. The tegaderm rolls up and comes off sometimes after a few days but I had more at home (leftover from the many long-term drains in the past) so I just changed it myself after alcohol swabbing around the wound. Had steri strips on DIEP flap but they fell off before I got home and PS said no worries. Steri and tegaderm has stayed on right lift wounds for most part. When it lifts or rolls I just take sterile scissors and cut off the bit that is lifting. Steris on abdominoplasty are staying put solid so far.



Nobody ever said a word about caffeine either way.



A good salon and stylist should be able to get you comfortably and safely in the chair. As for leaning back I think I would keep my knees bent and up on the edge of the chair so I could stay in the U-shape most of us use the first few weeks for lying down.



I tried to set things like this up beforehand. I talked to masseuse and made sure they had a massage chair instead of table and they did. Talked to chiropractor about doing adjustments sitting up and he made a plan. Most people can and will adapt if you ask!



I hope everybody has a great week! For those who are on onhe go-list this week don't forget to schedule in time for some relaxation, or meditation, or prayer, or a mani-pedi.....whatever brings some peace to your heart and mind.

RE: Showers and Drains .....



I have dealt with 7 surgeries and 15 drains over past 21 month period.



Have had three different surgeons for all these fun surgeries, and thank God that I could take a shower within a day or two of all surgeries.



My first surgery I even had six drains at once and could shower witin a few days.



For my Stage 1 bilateral SGAP surgery, I had 2 of the 4 drains for SIX weeks!



No way would I go SIX weeks without a shower! (unless I had certain complications with wound vacs, etc).



I would definitely question surgeon regarding their no shower protocol. As if we aren't already hurting enough from diagnosis, treatments, surgeries!



A shower is very physically and emotionally cleansing! IMO

Movie, welcome home!  We missed you very much.  Your description of the Onsen experience brought me to tears as well.  What kindness, and expressed in such a beautiful, non-verbal way.  Katy

Wow movie! Way to make me start tearing up first time in the morning. Your story about how women treated you in Japan was so moving.

Wow Jackie, brought me to tears too. Very touching.



I keep reading about no showers.

In my head I am picturing a large plastic garbage bag with a head hole cut out, dropped down over my body and taped or packed with towels, just to be able to wash hair. Well, obviously someone else would be washing as your hands would be inside the garbage bag.

Sounds like something has to give!



You are all a wealth of info. Taking it all in , my surgery isn't until fall.

Pat

I am scheduled for Diep on 6th june inthe uk at a centre of excellence and with a top plastic cons i am pretty scared now as they just released news of research inFrance re anaesthetics and the elderly(im 64) apparently they found 35% increase of dementia within next 8 years. Have been to.d my surgerycould be 8-10 hours as old scarring to mastectomy site(performed in 2001) 8-10 hours sounds muchmore scary than 6!

Any help ladies?

Nihahi, I'm now helping those stubborn steri strips along by lifting the edges in the shower, and letting the water do the rest. It's been long enough, I'm sure. Want them gone.

Bailey, my PS is female, and only okayed showering after the drains were out. But I do think female PS's 'get' us better than male surgeons. They also have breasts, eh? . . . Lol.

Pinkheart, I'm soooo with you re showers, and their therapeutic qualities after surgery. May be a good subject for a study?